RIVER TRIP DESCRIPTION: By floatplane
from Lake Hood, you'll fly westerly through wingspan-wide,
jagged and snow covered mountain passes into the
Alaska's Lake Clark Region. As you cruise over the Cook Inlet in search of
white Beluga Whales you'll often get a glimpse of several
10,000'+ active volcano summits. Allured into
shooting the entire float trips provisions of media, an
inviting turquoise lake emerges in the expanse midst
craggy peaks,
textured hillsides, and poly-chromed tundra landscapes. Framed
by crevassed glaciers and eternally snow-capped rugged
summits of Lake Clark National Park
and Preserve; fittingly named Turquoise Lake lies at the base of Mt. Telaquana.
Turquoise Lake is the drop off and put in for your
wilderness raft and kayak float trip adventure on the
Mulchatna River.

The Mulchatna River surges swiftly downstream west out of the
mountains for 5-7 days prior to its confluence with the
crystal clear Chilikadrotna River tributary where it
nearly doubles in overall
volume. The Mulchatna River's bluish-green waters rush through
open tundra, descend canyon, then in the course of a few days hastens
into forested hill country where sweepers, strainers,
log jams, boulder gardens, shallows, narrows, and spiked
rapids that demand river skills and alertness at all times. One stretch of the
river drops hundreds of feet within very few miles. It
is clear to witness this significant decent as the river
takes on a keen downhill perspective.

Fishing is exceptional! State record sized Arctic
Grayling along with nice sized Lake Trout can be
had right from the floatplane drop off. Dolly Varden Char and Rainbow Trout are
abundant throughout the river drainage, and Salmon fishing
can be
top notch. Brown Bears heavily forage amongst the
log jams taking spent Salmon that often mill around or
hang trapped in
the entangled trees, branches, and debris. Be
especially prepared for very up close bear
encounters and the circumstances that often may develop
when negotiating or portaging around logjams. It's
always astonishing to witness
just how inconceivably powerful and fast a startled Brown Bear will
make an expressway exit through terrain that would be
near impenetrable or impassible for humans.

Historically, Aleuts and Eskimos settled this part of
Alaska. When the Russians arrived, Athabaskins moved
into the area displacing the Aleuts and Eskimos. The
late 1800s brought American surveyors, commercial
traders, and gold prospectors. Today, this region has
the richness and pristine diversity of Alaska's most
remote wilderness. Prospecting is not a thing of the
past in this area and is currently being surveyed.
This wilderness area is more valuable kept wild and should
be protected.

The Mulchatna River exhibits stunning
scenery, offers premier angling for several species of
fish, has thrilling stretches of fun whitewater,
features great hiking, makes for some beautiful camping,
and provides excellent opportunities for wildlife viewing
(especially bears). The entire drainage once
supported some of the largest populations of Barren Ground
Caribou throughout Alaska. Some of the same herds still
reside traversing the riversides, however today the main
herd is broken up into much smaller bands covering an even
greater amount of territory.